How to protect your business through Covid-19 and beyond

The outbreak of Covid-19 has profoundly affected the restaurant and foodservice industry. Many businesses have had to quickly adapt their business models, whether that means reducing operating hours, shutting down in-restaurant dining, or offering takeaway and delivery services for consumers – with some having to pause altogether.

As restaurant businesses continue to operate in this new way, and begin preparing to reopen, hygiene plays a more important role than ever. Moving forward, the responsibility of handling, distributing and serving food has taken on an even greater significance for the restaurant industry, and it is imperative to be well-equipped with hygiene solutions to keep both customers and employees safe and protected.

As we do this, to prevent any avoidable pressure on our already strained healthcare system, the restaurant industry must now serve communities by taking the necessary steps to protect them from not only foodborne illnesses, but the still apparent threat of Covid-19.

As the leading global professional hygiene brand, Tork is here to help. With expert knowledge and insight acquired over the past 50 years, we have developed a Safe at Work toolkit for the foodservice sector. Completely free, the toolkit shares guidance on how to make hygiene a priority in your business, throughout this pandemic and beyond. Within the toolkit, you will have access to a range of resources for both customers and employees, clearly detailing our recommendations on how to make hygiene a priority in your foodservice operation.

Covid-19 can spread in your restaurant when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through contaminated surfaces or objects. Your approach can help reduce the risk by educating and reminding team members about the importance of regular hand hygiene and routine disinfecting procedures.

The importance of hygiene extends beyond just handwashing. At Tork, we've developed the Safe at Work toolkit to highlight simple yet significant actions, which we hope will arm the restaurant industry with the tools needed to stay safe and protected – for example, the regular washing of towels and uniforms, the disinfecting of surfaces, and optimum placement of hand sanitiser dispensers.

As we all adapt to the ‘next normal', it is to be expected that customers will put an increased focus on hygiene, and it will no doubt become a deciding factor when choosing to visit a restaurant. Therefore, we must make sure that businesses not only comply with hygiene standards but exceed them. As an employer, it is your responsibility to ensure that your team members are aware of the right hygiene procedures to follow in order to keep themselves and those around them safe. We hope you find the information in this toolkit both relevant and useful to create a clear protocol for your employees.

Thank you for your efforts on the frontline of this crisis. We hope that you and your staff stay safe throughout these challenging times.

Tork's Safe at Work toolkit is free to download, and applicable for restaurant businesses of all sizes. For guidance and support to help you stay safe and protected, access the toolkit at www.tork.co.uk/safeatwork